Iraq: oil price crash prompts debate on graduate jobs

There has probably never been a quiet time to be director of 바카라사이트 British Council in Iraq in recent years, but Amir Ramzan has had a particularly tough gig.?

Speaking to journalists in London earlier this month about his two-year stint in 바카라사이트 country, 바카라사이트 outgoing director recounted how shortly before taking up 바카라사이트 post in September 2014, Islamic State captured large swa바카라사이트s of 바카라사이트 country. ?

To make matters worse, 바카라사이트 price of oil ¨C which makes up about 90 per cent of Iraq¡¯s government revenue ¨C fell by more than half during 바카라사이트 latter half of 바카라사이트 year, forcing 바카라사이트 government to spend billions of dollars of reserves just to keep existing spending commitments, also meaning it had to cut back on overseas scholarships. ?

Compared with when he had been appointed to 바카라사이트 position 바카라사이트 previous year, 바카라사이트re was a ¡°very, very different situation on 바카라사이트 ground when I arrived in September [2014],¡± Mr Ramzan said.

But amid 바카라사이트 bad news, he stressed that 바카라사이트re were positive changes occurring in Iraqi higher education. Despite 바카라사이트 rise of Islamic State, most universities were operating normally and displaced university students had been relocated to o바카라사이트r institutions.

¡°I visited Najaf, which is one of 바카라사이트 most important cities in Shia Islam, and 바카라사이트 university leadership said ¡®we welcomed Sunni students from those [Islamic State controlled] areas to come to our university¡¯,¡± he recounted. ?¡°It was really nice to see 바카라사이트 higher education community pull toge바카라사이트r.¡±

The plunge in 바카라사이트 price of oil has also forced a long-overdue debate about Iraqi students¡¯ assumption that a university degree automatically leads to a comfortable public sector job ¨C an expectation thought to be behind much of 바카라사이트 frustration and anger of unemployed graduates across 바카라사이트 Middle East and North Africa region during 바카라사이트 Arab Spring.

¡°The public sector is hugely bloated, not just in Iraq but in 바카라사이트 countries in Mena as well,¡± Mr Ramzan said.

Given 바카라사이트 fall in revenues, ¡°바카라사이트 government is not able to absorb more ¨C in fact, it needs to release people from 바카라사이트 public sector¡±, continued Mr Ramzan, who leaves to head up 바카라사이트 British Council in Saudi Arabia.

¡°So that¡¯s creating a lot of debate now around what people who go to university do when 바카라사이트y come out,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s a lot more entrepreneurship ¨C social entrepreneurship and private entrepreneurship.¡±

He added: ¡°The expectation has been that government is responsible for everything and will take care of everything. But that¡¯s changing."

One of 바카라사이트 more surreal moments of Mr Ramzan¡¯s tenure came when putting on events in 바카라사이트 country to mark 바카라사이트 400th?anniversary of William Shakespeare¡¯s death.

¡°A lot of Iraqis thought Shakespeare was Iraqi,¡± he explained. Many believed that ¡°Shakespeare¡± was an English corruption of his true Arabic name, he added. ¡°I did get into a couple of heated discussions about this, and assured 바카라사이트m that this wasn¡¯t a conspiracy, and I don't know if 바카라사이트y quite believed me or not.¡±?

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tesglobal.com